Saturday, May 10, 2014

This smooth, shiny glaze is ideal for cookies that will be decorated with food-safe pens. It covers cookies very well (the color of your dark gingerbread won't show through), and dries to a hard enough finish that iced cookies can be stacked on top of each other (perfect for storage or for putting into a holiday gift basket). Try building on the base layer of coating with an outline or decorations in a contrasting color.

ingredients

Volume

Ounces

Grams

1/4 cup meringue powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/3 to 1/2 cup cool water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Food color or paste

directions

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the meringue powder, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Add 1/3 cup cool water and the vanilla and stir, or beat on slow speed. the mixture will seem hard and lumpy, but the sugar will dissolve after 4 or 5 minutes and everything will smooth out.

2. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition to achieve a spreadable consistency. For a very smooth, shiny glaze, the icing should be the consistency of corn syrup or molasses.

3. To use, dip the tops of cooled cookies in the glaze, then sweep a spatula over them to remove the excess. Place the cookies on a rack for several hours for the glaze to harden and dry. This may take as long as overnight, depending on the humidity of your kitchen and the consistency of the glaze.

tips

To color this glaze, add food color or paste a drop at a time, and stir until the color is evenly distributed. To make the color deeper, repeat until you have the hue you're looking for.

Keep the glaze tightly covered when not in use; if left uncovered the top will begin to dry and make chunks.

Most ghostly experiences along roadways happen at night. The ghosts that are reportedly seen along these roadways vary from subtle wisps to full-fledged, seemingly corporeal bodies that get into the car and carry on conversations. Many road-ghosts just walk down the road where they were killed, or appear alongside a driver hoping to catch a ride back to their home. Sometimes ghosts move alongside a car as it speeds down the highways and still others appear abruptly in front of the vehicle, nearly causing an accident.

Haunted highways are not only occupied by ghosts, but also phantom cars. Sometimes, these phantom cars appear in the rear view mirror as two headlights (that quickly disappear), other times, a vehicle will allow a car to pass only to discover there is no car behind them after all. This type of paranormal activity as legend throughout the world, but to experience it is a rare occurrence. Here are details, about some roads, throughout America, that have legends attached and ones where witnesses have claimed to have seen ghostly activity.

Clinton Road in West Milford, New Jersey: A ten-mile curvy stretch of road that meanders through woods and has a distinct air of isolation. Legend has it a little boy was playing on this road on a bridge above a waterway and fell to his death. They say if you throw a quarter into the water, it will be thrown back at you. There are also tales of being followed by unseen beings, the overwhelming feeling of being watched, and a red-eyed hound from Hell chasing people out from the foliage.

Shades of Death Road in Warren County in New Jersey: Yes, it really is called "Shades of Death" Road. The locals gave it that name because numerous murders, accidents and strange happenings have occurred on this roadway. It is said that people have been killed by wildcats roaming the area. Discarded, mutilated corpses have been found along this road. The road itself is full of twists and turns and is shaded by numerous trees, lending to its spooky air. The spirits of the Lenni-Lenape people are believed to haunt this road, having been viciously attacked by a tribe of Iroquois Indians.

Split Rock Road in Hibernia New Jersey: There are numerous legends surrounding this stretch of road. One such urban legend goes: if you drive down this road late at night, people (who these people are depends on who you're talking to locally), they might be Satanists/Albinos/Gangs, will block each end of the one-lane bridge and trap you in the middle as you drive across it. There have been murders and suicides on this road. Animal carcasses have been found as well as unexplained lights in the sky.

State Road 15 North in Bristol, Indiana: Legend has it if you drive north on State Road 15, past the toll road you will come across a house on the left, directly before the state line. Stop and study this house. Eventually, if you sit there long enough, the spirit of the owner of the house parts the curtains and waves at you.

HWY 20 in Brushy Prairie, Indiana: Most active around the holidays, there exists an urban legend of a Lady in White. She wears a wedding dress and when people try to pick her up, she disappears. This supposedly happens between the midnight and 5am hours.

Highway 12 West in Fredrica, Delaware: The legend - A man, quite angry with his landlord, murdered the landlord then ground him up with cornmeal. He then fed it to his dog. It is said that the phantom dog with its red, glowing eyes can be seen by drivers at night along the side of the road.

Salem Church Road in Newark, Delaware: In the 1900's, a family of six was hung due to accusations of witchcraft. This family has been seen, all six of them, walking along this highway, in search, people say, of the relatives who hung them. (Don't think I'd want to be them!)

Mona Lisa Drive in New Orleans, Louisiana: The statue of a philanthropist's daughter, Mona, has been erected in City Park but destroyed by careless teenagers. Witnesses claim to have seen a very sad Mona as they drive along this road. She floats silently next to the car, scratching the glass forlornly, then just as quickly, she vaporizes. Remember, if you drive down any road expecting to see ghostly spectacles, be respectful of those living there, as well as any other traffic on the road! I would love to hear from anyone who has had a first-hand paranormal experience on any of these, or other roads.

ALWAYS SOMETHING GREAT!!

Search This Blog

A LITTLE BIO FOR YOU

I am passionate about Halloween and Christmas. Many nights spent in the lab making and creating new props and decorations. I have been married for 25 years and have teenage twins (a boy and girl). I like 80's rock, all kinds of sports,thriller and action movies. I also moonlight as a pastry chef/baker.